The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector that may be used to carry high-voltage power signals.
Electrical connectors are used to connect various forms of components and equipment. For example, some electrical connectors connect printed circuit boards to wires, which are used to convey power to appliances and utilities, such as lighting fixtures, ballasts and the like. Many appliances and utilities have high power demands. For example, many devices, such as lighting assemblies operate at very high voltage levels.
Conventional connectors include a housing that retains a plurality of electrical contacts. Each electrical contact has a terminal end that is configured to be mated with a printed circuit board. Within the connector, the contacts are also connected to wires from one or more appliances or utilities. Power signals are transferred between the wire and the printed circuit board through the electrical connector.
In many applications, it is desirable to have a wire release capable of repeatedly inserting and removing the wire from the connector. To afford the wire release, many connectors are configured to pinch or sandwich each individual wire between a corresponding contact and an interface wall of the connector housing. Certain connectors include contacts having a base portion secured in the housing and a contact tip that engages the wire. The base and contact tip of the contact are joined by a flexible portion that spring biases the contact tip toward the wire. The contact tip is deflected away from the electrical wire to remove the wire from the connector. However, if the contact tip is bent too far, the elasticity of the contact may be lost. When the contact elasticity is lost, the contact tip no longer returns to its original position and thus does not adequately pinch the wire against the wall of the connector once the wire is inserted. Thus, great care typically must be exercised when removing electrical wires from connectors to ensure that the contacts within the connector are not overly deflected in order to maintain the contact elasticity.
Recently, connectors have been proposed that include a contact deflection member that limits the range over which the contact is deflected when inserting and releasing a wire. The contact deflection member may simply constitute a push button that is slidably held in the connector housing. A lower end of the push button engages the contact tip, while an opposite end of the push button is configured to be pressed by the user. When the user presses the button, the lower end of the button bends the contact tip away from the wire. The connector housing may include stop features that permit the button to slide over a limited range of motion within the connector housing, thereby similarly limiting the amount of contact deflection.
However, the push button is a separate component that is individually inserted into a receptacle within the connector housing. Hence, separate and distinct molds and/or dies must be used to form the push button and the connector housing. Further, during assembly, each push button must be individually positioned within a corresponding receptacle in the connector housing. The separate molding and assembly steps unduly add cost and expense to the manufacturing process of the electrical connector.
Thus, a need exists for an electrical connector that maintains proper elasticity of electrical contacts housed within the electrical connector. A need also exists for a more cost-effective and efficient electrical connector that utilizes a contact deflection member.
Embodiments of the present invention provide an electrical connector comprising a housing, contacts and contact deflecting members. The housing includes a plurality of chambers that retain an equal plurality of contacts. The chambers are configured to receive individual wires. The electrical contacts are deflectable to make and break electrical connections with the wires. The contact deflecting members are positioned proximate corresponding contacts and are configured to deflect the electrical contacts to break connections with corresponding wires. The contact deflecting members are disposed within channels formed in the housing and are integrally formed with the housing. Each contact deflecting member includes an end formed integrally with the housing through a hinge that pivotally joins the contact deflecting member to the housing. The electrical connector may also include an anti-overstress member provided in the chamber and positioned at an end of the range of motion of the contact to limit deflection of the contact. The range of motion may also be limited by an abutment of a contact end of the contact deflecting member and an interior wall of the housing. The electrical connector assembly may be a push button having an engagement surface extending from an exterior of the housing. The engagement surface is configured to receive a tool used to actuate the push button. The channel and the contact deflecting member are formed integrally with one another through a hinge that permits pivotal motion of the contact deflecting member laterally within the channel. The hinge is integrally formed with the contact deflecting member and the housing to enable pivotal motion of the contact deflecting member.